Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders speaks to reporters outside an apartment building in Toronto, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019. Toronto police say five teens have been shot in the western part of the city in a targeted shooting. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Cole Burston

Five teens were shot Wednesday night in what police are calling a targeted attack in Toronto’s west end.

Chief Mark Saunders said the shooting happened at about 7:30 p.m. when two people opened fire in a building hallway.

He said the victims include a 16-year-old girl, a 17-year-old girl and three males between the ages of 16 to 18.

Three of the victims were rushed to hospital with serious injuries, Saunders added.

Police initially reported four people were shot, but Saunders told reporters that a fifth person later brought themselves into hospital.

Toronto has been grappling with a rising number of shootings. Saunders and Mayor John Tory have repeatedly called for a handgun ban.

“There is the concern of retribution and so if there is going to be any type of retribution, then that would add to our count and that is something that is concerning,” Saunders said. He asked the public for tips to help the investigation.

“So that’s why we’re making this appeal to hope that we can apprehend these people before any future gun violence happens in our city.”

Saunders said investigators, including the police gang unit, are looking for three male suspects in their late teens and early 20s.

He said they drove to the building in a dark sedan before two of them started shooting at people in the hallway. Police recovered more than 20 bullet casings from the scene.

Saunders said police will be looking at surveillance footage in the area to get more evidence.

“We have five who were shot, they are very young people, and there is no need to for this to happen,” Saunders said.

“If we can solve this one, it would be a good one for the city of Toronto.”